1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a media dispenser, and more particularly, to a media reject device of a media dispenser which consults user's convenience and prevents media from being stolen by automatically locking a media reject box for rejecting defective media.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a media dispenser includes a media cassette for storing media, a media pick-up device for separating and discharging the media stored in the media cassette one by one, a media conveying device for conveying the media discharged from the media pick-up device, a media discharge device for externally discharging the media conveyed by the media conveying device, and a media reject device for rejecting defective media during the media transmission process.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, when defects are generated in the media conveyed by the media conveying device due to various factors, or when a few media are conveyed at a time, the conventional media reject device senses such defects and rejects the defective media. The conventional media reject device is comprised of a media reject box 106 inserted into a receiving space 104 of a main body 102, for storing the defective media, and a diverter 108 for diverting the defective media to the media reject box 106 by changing a media conveyance path when the media have defects.
A media reject hole 112 for inserting the media rejected through a media reject path 110 of the main body 102 into the media reject box 106 is formed on the media reject box 106, and a locking system is installed to open the media reject hole 112 when the media reject box 106 is inserted into the receiving space 104 of the main body 102, and to close the media reject hole 112 when the media reject box 106 is separated from the main body 102.
The locking system includes a door 114 rotatably mounted on one side of the media reject box 106 by a hinge shaft 128, for opening/closing the media reject hole 112, an operation rod 116 formed on the main body 102 and operated in the door opening direction when the media reject box 106 is inserted into the receiving space 104, and a locker 118 for locking the door 114 when the media reject box 106 is separated from the main body 102.
Here, a spring 120 is connected to one side of the door 114, for providing an elastic force to the door closing direction, and an operation lever 122 is installed to contact the operation rod 116 formed in the main body 102 and receive the pushing force of the operation rod 116. A through hole 126 which the operation rod 116 is inserted into is formed on the media reject box 106.
The operation of the locking system of the media reject box will now be explained. When the media reject box 106 is inserted into the receiving space 104 of the main body 102, the operation rod 116 passes through the through hole 126 and pushes the operation lever 122. The door 114 is rotated on the hinge shaft 128 to open the media reject hole 112, and thus the defective media are supplied to the media reject box 106.
When the media reject box 106 is separated from the main body 102, the door 114 returns to the original status by the elastic force of the spring 120 and closes the media reject hole 112. The user operates the locker 118 to lock the door 114.
In the locking system of the media reject box, when the media reject box 106 is separated from the main body 102, the door 114 is closed by the spring 120, and the user locks the door 114 by operating the locker 118. Accordingly, a special key is required to lock the door 114, which may trouble the user and cause theft of the media.